St. John the Evangelist

• Types of glass: 1. Opalescent 2. Striated 3. Nodular 4. Mottled 5. Herringbone 6. Granite
• Painting only on flesh
• Up to 3 Layers

This is one of the largest and most stunning windows in the collection. The vivid colors are typical of the work of Mary Tillinghast. The complex design includes geometric shapes, stylized flowers, crowns, landscapes, and figures. The window was originally installed at Trinity Methodist Church in Auburn, New York. St John is in the center panel. In the panel to his left, an angel is supporting a cross. In the panel to his right, an angel is holding a bouquet of lilies. The bottom three panels include memorial inscriptions and biblical quotations.

The image of St. John is based on a lunette with St. John and the Eagle (c. 1520) by Correggio in the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Parma Italy. That painting has been translated into stained glass several times. John La Farge used the image in creating his The New Jerusalem window at Trinity Church in Boston, which was done when Tillinghast was working with him.

Special Features
• Tillinghast carefully placed individual pieces of glass to create the details in this window. Her selection of glass makes the window look like a painting.
• The glass is often plated on the back using striated glass on the front. The water sparkles because of the nodular glass plated on the back.
• The Mary Tillinghast fecit 1907 signature is unusual in that it was painted or enameled. Her inscriptions and signatures are usually in a mosaic style using pieces of glass, as in the Maiden and Scholar windows in the East Gallery.

Biblical Story of the Window

St. John the Evangelist wrote the Book of Revelation, one Gospel, and three epistles. He is often called the Theologian because of the profundity of his Gospel, which starts with the famous prologue: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Book of Revelation is the only prophetic book in the New Testament. These writings reveal details about the last days or end times often in visions, culminating in the Second Coming of Christ. The lush landscape in this window is indicative of the Greek island of Patmos, which is where St. John received the Book of Revelation while in exile. The Book is symbolized in the image of New Jerusalem in the center panel. The strong, graceful eagle in the center panel represents St. John and the theological heights to which he soars in his Gospel.